Cate Blanchett denies lesbian affairs

Sunday, May 17, 2015 - 01:16

Actress Cate Blanchett denies a report she'd had sexual affairs with women, as her new film where she plays a married woman who falls in love with a shopgirl wows the Cannes Film Festival. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

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ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)
Cate Blanchett denied on Sunday (May 17) a report she'd had affairs with women, as the Cannes Film Festival swooned over her portrayal of a wealthy married woman who falls in love with an ambitious New York shopgirl in director Todd Haynes's "Carol".
The film, which has won rave reviews from critics and audiences, shows Blanchett's title character and Rooney Mara as the shopgirl Therese Belivet having an affair that includes making love in a motel "presidential suite".
Blanchett at a news conference was quick to contradict the published version of an interview she gave to the trade publication Variety in which she seemed to say she brought personal experience of affairs with women to the role.
"From memory, the conversation ran, 'Have you had relationships with women?' And I said, 'Yes, many times. If you mean I've had sexual relationships with them, the answer is 'No' -- but that obviously didn't make it to print," the Australian actress and mother of four children said.
"But in 2015, the point should be: who cares?," she added.
The film is based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, who also wrote "The Talented Mr Ripley", but which she penned under a pseudonym because of the taboo subject matter.